Screaming and Silence
by Skylo
Summary: Mega Man and Pac-man are just starting their relationship when Zero goes missing. Mega Man must save him, but what happens when he learns that Zero is enslaved in the sex trade system? What will become of Mega Man when he falls into the very same trap? Will he ever escape? Can he find Zero before it's too late? Rating will change. CHAPTER 4 FIXED
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

**EDIT: Fucking FFnet and its formatting bullshit deleted everything that had a period without a space after it. Sorry if it was a bit hard to read because of that. I'll be more careful with that.**

* * *

The storm shook the mansion, making the windows tremble with every loud crack of thunder and setting the sky alight with lightning.  
Mega Man ducked under his blanket, gritting his teeth.  
Pac-man sat beside him on the couch, patting him comfortingly, his face trying to be sympathetic but failing as an amused smile crept onto his face.  
"What's the matter? Is the legendary Mega Man afraid of a little thunder?"  
The cyborg peeked an eye open, cringing as another loud boom sounded outside.  
"It's not that...it's just..it sounds too much like an explosion."  
Pac-man's smile disappeared. The white light from the television was hurting his eyes, so he shielded them with his hand.  
"Oh..I'm sorry. I didn't realize..."  
Mega Man rolled his eyes, emerging only slightly from the quilt that Peach had made.  
"I'm not some sort of PTSD patient. It just brings back too many memories.."  
The ghost hunter's worried expression still didn't change. He was silent a moment, then reached for the remote and flipped off the T.V.  
"Come on, let's go to bed. It's really late."  
Mega Man yawned in response and threw the covers to the side, stretching his legs before he stood and began to slink to his room. When he felt someone come up beside him, he paused.  
"Your room is that way," he said, pointing across the room to the stairs. Pac-man smiled gently.  
"Well, I figured maybe I could keep you company tonight. It might make you feel better."  
Mega Man blushed at the notion. They'd only been together a couple weeks...  
Pac-man seemed to read his mind.  
"Get your mind out of the gutter, robo-boy. I just want to cuddle."  
"Oh.." he turned a little redder and grinned sheepishly.  
A crack of thunder interrupted them as it tore through the hallway. Mega Man flinched, ducking down.  
Pac-man tugged his wrist.  
"Come on, it's okay."  
The cyborg was about to retort that he knew it was okay when another bolt of lightning flashed through the window a second before the inevitable thunder was upon them. Without hesitation, he scooped up the yellow fighter and dashed to his room, not slowing his pace until the door was closed and they were both safe under the blanket.  
Pac-man pulled the blanket over both of their heads, giggling.  
"They won't find us here."  
"That's not funny!" Mega Man pouted.  
The other snuggled close, looking at him with that overly-fond, wide-eyed stare he loved so much, and kissed him right on his nose.  
"Come over here and cuddle me, mister fussy britches."  
He could only oblige. He wrapped his arms tightly around the little ball, curling his body around him for warmth. Pac-man hummed in contentment. Mega Man leaned down and planted a kiss on the top of his head, truly grateful he was there when another crash of thunder made his hair stand on end. He gripped him a little tighter, feeling oddly comfortable despite not having ever slept with someone else in the same bed before. He wondered as he drifted off how he could've slept every night before then without someone to hold onto.

* * *

The next morning Mega Man awoke to an unusual amount of noise. Pac-man was gone, but the bed was still warm, so he figured he'd just left.

Fox burst into the room, his tail puffed out like an angry cat.  
"HAVE YOU SEEN MY SUITCASE?!"  
Mega Man sat up and rubbed his eyes.  
"What? No! Where are you going?"  
"It's the 15th!" Fox called out as he bolted down the hallway.  
Mega Man smacked himself in the face. Vacation! He needed to get packed!  
As quickly as possible, he gathered his things and shoved them into a duffel bag. Oil, charger, phone, spare wires...what else was he forgetting? While he was wandering around trying to remember, he didn't notice Pac-man enter, dragging his brown suitcase. He dropped it on the carpet, making Mega Man jump.  
"Oh! You're all ready to go?"  
"Forgetting something?"  
Pac-man looked ticked.  
"I think..?" he replied slowly.  
"You do realize what I'm doing today, don't you? You said we'd talk about it."  
Mega Man made a pained face, and went to sit on the bed. Pac-man climbed up next to him, suddenly looking very nervous. It was understandable.  
"I know what I want to say...but every time I try to picture myself saying it I think I'll mess it up."  
He sniffed, blinking away tears and trying to calm his heartbeat.  
"I'm afraid."  
Mega Man put an arm around him, resting his cheek on his head.  
"She should've known it would be a possibility. She wanted an open relationship."  
Pac-man shook his head violently.  
"But it feels wrong, all wrong! She would go and do things with other people, but I never did! And I still haven't! For the longest time I was so loyal! The agreement was for sex only. Every time she saw someone else it was temporary. She always came back to me!"  
"Stop it!"  
"Stop what?"  
"Don't act like it never hurt you, while you sat at home caring for your son and she was out doing those things with someone else! Don't you dare tell me that just because you were out saving the world she didn't owe you more than that! It doesn't matter if you told her it was ok, she should've seen that it wasn't. She should've been there for you! She can't be surprised that you took comfort with someone else!"  
"But I didn't tell her. I never _told her_, Mega! How's she supposed to feel when I do after it's too late?!"  
Mega Man felt a churning in his gut. He couldn't push it down.  
"She...she's supposed to be happy for you. She needs to know about us. If she still wants you two to stay married after that...that's fine with me."  
Pac-man looked at him then.  
"You mean that?"  
"Yes. You guys have a beautiful kid and you really care about each other."  
He nearly choked on his words. As much as he'd hoped they'd split up, he didn't want to be the cause of conflict between them. He didn't want to break up their family.  
_As long as he comes back to me._  
It didn't sound any less complicated than the two's previous situation, which only made him feel more uneasy. But Pac-man looked comforted. He quirked half a smile, leaning against his shoulder.  
"Thank you."

* * *

By noon, most of the Smashers who'd gone to the spaceport were on their respective spaceships heading to their home planets. Only Pac-man, Mega Man, Ness and Ducky the dog with his winged counterpart Drake remained. The dog and his duck had mostly come along to keep the boy company, as they had no home to return to. Apparently the pup's owner died of old age a few years earlier, and he met Drake shortly after. Ness, compassionate as he was, decided to name them both and befriend the two. They were headed with him to his planet, where they'd been promised a vacation playing in tall grass.  
Mega Man's flight was a spacecraft piloted by a man with a thick white beard. He looked around mid-fifties, a little round with no hair and a dirty truck driver getup.  
Apparently his planet didn't get a lot of tourists, as the ship was very small and dinged. The man stared grumpily at him, waiting for him to board.  
"Come on, kid, we don't have all day!"  
"Just another minute," he replied, still not having moved.  
"You've been saying that for the past ten minutes!"  
Mega Man made a face and kissed Pac-man goodbye for what was hopefully the final time. Ness, who was sitting nearby, rolled his eyes at them.  
"Say hi to my biggest fan for me!" Mega Man called out as he boarded the small ship.  
"I will!" Pac-man shouted back.  
The cyborg was about to wave again when the ramp moved beneath him, the man impatiently huffing as he tumbled inside. The door shut noisily.  
"H-hey!"  
"You'll see your boyfriend in a week, now would you buckle up so we can get a move on?"

* * *

Pac-man watched the ship until it was out of sight. His ride wouldn't be there for another ten minutes, so he took a seat beside Ness, accepting a few cheetos from his bag.  
After a moment, the boy looked at him.  
"You guys sure are acting mushy," he commented. Pac-man seemed a bit embarrassed.  
"He's worried about me, because...well I'm sure you already know."  
Ness nodded.  
"And I'm worried that he's going to worry about me."  
The boy giggled.  
"Sounds like you guys worry too much."  
Pac-man crossed his legs, leaning back to stare at the flight announcements on the other end of the dock. That actually sounded exactly right. He shrugged.  
"It's an adult thing. You'll be lucky if you have few things to worry about when you grow up."  
Ness' eyes widened.  
"Well I'm worried about growing up, then!"  
Pac-man laughed, resisting the urge to ruffle his hair.  
"You're a smart kid. You remind me of my son. He's around your age."  
"Can I meet him?" Ness wondered. He'd been dying for a friend since Lucas left. Villager wasn't filling the void quite like he'd hoped. He was nice, but way too quiet.  
"I'll see what I can do," Pac-man replied, nudging him playfully. He stood as he heard his departure announced on the loudspeaker. Suddenly he was hesitant to leave a child in the spaceport alone, so as he passed by he whispered to Ducky, "keep an eye on him for me, alright?"  
Ducky barked an affirmative.  
Satisfied, he turned and waved to Ness.  
"I'll see you in a week!"

* * *

Traveling was taking longer than he'd expected. Not only would he arrive after dark, but he was miserably bored, having grown tired of watching out the windshield. The ship had only two seats, yet sitting so close to his pilot hadn't prompted him to talk in the past hour. Finally Mega Man had exhausted all of the battery life in his phone and tucked it into his bag.  
"What's your name?"  
"Duffy," the man replied shortly.  
"Oh, is that a nickname or-"  
"No, my mother was just terrible at spelling. My name was supposed to be a lot worse."  
Mega Man frowned.  
"And you're Mega Man, the famous and beloved robot created by Doctor Light. And your boyfriend back there was Pac-man."  
He should've figured the guy would know who they were. He stayed silent, trying to come up with another topic of conversation when Duffy spoke again.  
"Does Ms. Pac-man know?"  
Mega Man blanched. Only now had he realized that nobody outside the mansion had any reason not to gossip. He held up his hands defensively.  
"U-uh, not yet but...you won't tell anyone, will you?"  
Duffy sniffed, wiped his left hand on his jeans and took a swig of his beer.  
"None of my business, just curious is all. But everyone who saw you two in the spaceport might not have the same mindset."  
Damn it he was right.  
"Y-yeah..neither of us thought about that. Well I'm sure Pac-man did but I doubt he would care what other people say."  
"Mm...hm? Quit smilin' kid."  
Mega Man instantly snapped back to reality, jolting a bit.  
"Sorry!"  
Duffy shook his head.  
"Don't get all fuzzy-headed around me, you're going to make me lose my lunch."  
The cyborg felt a little hurt by that. Was he just annoyed or was he homophobic? It didn't seem like that before. He decided to remain quiet, staring out at the cosmos until his eyes grew tired and he fell asleep.

It was around 8 pm when Mega Man was awoken by the ship lurching beneath him. Luckily the seatbelt saved him from smacking his face on the control panel. He looked over at Duffy in time for the man to push a sticky note at his face.  
"This is my number. Call when you want me to take you home. I live in the quadrant so it should only take me an hour to come get ya."  
"Oh, thanks."  
Mega Man took it and slipped it into his duffel bag, which had somehow jumped into his lap when they landed.  
Bidding Duffy a hasty farewell, he stepped off the spacecraft and out into the night. The city was quieting down, fewer cars and people roaming the streets as the light faded from the sky. He recognized where he was almost instantly; Dr. Light's laboratory was only a couple blocks away. He smiled at the thought of seeing him again. His contact with him during tournaments was sparse, but he knew his creator would understand. He hadn't told him about Pac-man yet, and though he feared he would be scolded, he had no doubt the kind man would accept and encourage their relationship.  
Slinging his duffel bag over his shoulder, he followed the street lights up to the corner and set out to find the building with the blue roof.

* * *

Pac-man stepped off the shuttle just as the sun was peeking above the horizon. He smiled. He'd almost forgotten how colorful his homeland was. Politely inching his way out of the crowd of star struck tourists, he climbed into the car that was waiting for him and shielded his face from the inevitable picture-taking as the car pulled away. Breathing a sigh of relief, he laid his suitcase on the seat next to him. The driver stole quick glances at him as they sped along the mostly grass-covered path. His world didn't have many paved roads, which made it all the more charming. Charming. That was a word a lot of people used to describe himself. Strange.  
"U-uh..going to see the missus?" the driver stammered, making Pac-man look up from the window.  
"Yes I am. And the little mister too!"  
The other laughed nervously, failing to disguise his excitement.  
"That's good! Well, your house is only about an hour from here, so you'll be seeing them very soon!"  
Pac-man smiled at the rearview mirror in a 'not-awkward-but-not-comfortable' way.  
"Yeah.."  
"S-sorry, my name's Mike. I..uh..nobody told me who I was going to be driving! I've lived on this planet all my life but I never thought I'd get to meet you!"  
The grin on his face was like a child who'd found a dollar on the ground.  
"Well it's nice to meet you, Mike," Pac-man beamed extending a hand. Mike reached back and shook with gusto.  
"The pleasure's all mine!"  
He was an orange Pac-monster with a strange mark above his right eye and a baseball cap. He seemed to be around his teenage years, judging from the fuzzy dice that hung from the mirror.  
"Last I heard you were invited to the Smash tournaments! Pretty rare for someone from our quadrant! Though I'm not surprised, you're as famous as they get!"  
He paused to flip down the sun visor.  
"So what's it like, battling it out with all those Nintendees? I bet they wouldn't stand a chance against any of us Namconians!"  
"Maybe not those from Tekken or-" he shuddered, "the galaxians...but they have a lot of really strong fighters."  
"What about that Segonian and that Capcomite? What were their names?"  
Pac-man raised a brow. Some people tended to be quadracist where he was from. They think having the most famous hero meant they were better than the others. Then they repeatedly deny the popularity of heroes from other quadrants like Spyro (though he has fizzled out a bit in recent years) and Ratchet and Clank. Even the top dogs like Mario are invalids in their eyes.  
Normally Pac-man was calm and cool, but he wanted to reach over and slam the suitcase over this kid's head for being such a bigot. Little did 'his people' know, but their glorious hero avoided travel because of how badly they'd embarrassed themselves with that kind of talk.  
A lot of people at the mansion thought of Pac-man as being arrogant at first, thanks to them.  
Somehow he managed to keep the rage from reaching his expression.  
"You mean Sonic and Mega Man? They're some of the best fighters I know!"  
He was going to convince this kid no matter what.  
"Eh, Sonic. I've heard his adventures have been..boring lately. But Mega Man, it seems like he's just getting lazy.."  
"DON'T YOU TALK ABOUT HIM LIKE THAT!" he screeched, causing Mike to jerk the wheel in fright.  
Pac-man had calmed down by the time they were back on the trail, though his hands were still clenched. He'd actually surprised himself with that.  
"O-oh, I'm awfully sorry. I didn't think that you guys might be friends.."  
"He's more than just a friend," he hissed. For some reason he wanted Mike to know. Just so he had an excuse next time he felt the urge to slap the kid for being an asshole.  
Mike looked at him, genuinely confused.  
"What do you mean by that?"  
Pac-man had to fight down a smug grin.  
"He's my boyfriend."  
_"WHAT?!"_  
The car ground to a halt.  
_**Pac-man 1. Mike 0.**_

* * *

I foresee a plot twist!

Please note that after this chapter it's mostly rated M.

Do not proceed beyond this point if you cannot handle that.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**EDIT: Fucking FFnet and its formatting bullshit deleted everything that had a period without a space after it. Sorry if it was a bit hard to read because of that. I'll be more careful with that.**

NOTE: From now on Mega Man will be referred to as an android/robot. I apologize for my misuse of terminology when I called him a "cyborg". The version of Mega Man I'm using is the same as the one from smash and the first three Mega Man games, which means he is NOT part human. To be honest I'm not well-versed in the Mega Man games. I'll stick to Wikipedia more closely.

* * *

Pac-man was very satisfied with himself. After giving Mike a short version of his relationship situation, the man went very silent. It was almost like he'd broken his sense of reality, like he could hardly believe the legendary couple was anything less than perfect, and worse, was splitting up. Lucky for Mike, he kept his mouth shut as Pac-man explained.  
Pac-man watched the sun rise through the streaked window, wondering what Mega Man was up to. He hadn't said a lot about his vacation, though he couldn't say he blamed him. They were both so focused on this next step when they parted, it slipped his mind. Right about then he wished he'd asked. Obviously Mega Man had a few friends he needed to tell about their predicament. He wondered how it would go.  
"We're here!" Mike barked, startling Pac-man. He hadn't even noticed the car stopped. The ghost hunter gathered his suitcase and climbed out of the car, watching Mike fidget in the front seat.  
"If you tell anyone, I'll let my friends know where to find you," he sneered, slamming the door shut before he could see his horrified expression. The car peeled out, tearing up the grass and spraying it in Pac-man's face. He couldn't fight a grin as he watched him speed away.  
He turned and started walking towards the house, and his smile faded. He'd always thought the thing was ugly. It looked exactly like him, the work of a fanboy construction crew, and he just never had the heart to tear it down and start anew. But now...he got the feeling if his family left, it would just be a painful reminder of all the years they'd spent in it. All the more reason to destroy the hideous place.  
No, no, he couldn't start thinking like that yet. He just needed to get through today, just today. He could worry about everything else later.  
His knees were getting weak as his hand reached the doorknob, but somehow he held on to it and turned.  
"SURPRISE!"  
Pac-man let out an un-manly screech and dropped his suitcase.  
"You guys gave me a heart attack!" he cried out indignantly, quickly taking in the figures of his wife, his parents-in-law, and his son, all peeking out from behind the furniture. Master Pac, his father-in-law, came out from behind the sofa and slapped him on the back.  
"Pac-man, my boy, I've heard you've been busy!"  
"B-busy..?"  
"Yes!" He stroked his mustache. "The Smash tournaments are no joke! I'm surprised you don't have a few scrapes!"  
"Scrapes?!"  
Ms. Pac-master rushed dutifully to his side, fretting around him in search of any injuries.  
"Where?! Those punks better not have laid a hand on you! I'll go down there myself, you know I will!"  
Pac-man laughed, patting her arm.  
"But that's the point! We beat each other up to get a gold cup! It's fun!"  
"Fun?" Junior slid up beside him, eyes wide. "Can I come?"  
He smiled, finding it difficult to lift his son up, but doing so nonetheless.  
"You, little Pac, need to focus on school! Maybe when you're older you'll get an invitation."  
Dejected, the child allowed himself to be taken by his grandmother and scolded for even thinking about such things.  
"Alright, out of my way, everyone!" Ms. Pac-man pushed her way through her parents, arms outstretched.  
"He's here to see me too, you know!"  
Pac-man felt his heart drop. She snatched his face and planted a quick kiss on his lips. He felt bad for feeling the urge to jerk away. She still didn't know he didn't belong to her anymore.  
But then again, she was never completely his either.  
The thought gave him a bit of comfort as she cut a huge slice of yellow cake and fed it to him. Luckily his appetite always beat out any emotion. There was pizza and ice-cream and all sorts of snacks to distract himself with. He piled his plate high and sunk into his armchair. Their dog, Chomp-Chomp, wandered in a minute later, looking for scraps. He absently fed him a slice of pizza as he listened to his family chatter, talking about the tournaments and asking questions without any of them being directed at him. He was grateful that they could tell he wasn't up to talking, even if they didn't know why.  
Pac-man was more than happy to stuff his face and ignore the commotion until his wife's parents finally decided they needed their old-people medication and headed home for the night. Ms. Pac-man set about clearing the dishes.  
She looked bigger. Rounder, if that was possible. Maybe she was getting fat.  
"So where's Pooka?" he asked Junior, who was sprawled on the carpet with his Legos. The boy shrugged, snapping two pieces apart.  
"She said she was busy. She's coming by tomorrow."  
Pac-man nodded. Pooka might be able to calm him down. Give advice. She was always good at that. Pooka had been a friend of the family since Junior was five, she's been through countless rough spots right alongside them. If anyone could help, it was her.  
His wife re-entered the room.  
"PJ, don't you have school tomorrow? You need to be getting to bed, mister."  
Pac-man looked up.  
"PJ?"  
"Pac-man Junior. All his friends started calling him that. I think it gives him a little individuality, don't you?"  
"What's wrong? He should be proud to carry my name!"  
man laughed.  
"He's his own person."  
He was a bit bothered by it, but if that's what he went by then he supposed he'd go along with it.  
"Alright PJ, you heard your mother. Clean up your toys and then it's time for bed."  
Sighing, Junior noisily dumped the Legos into a box and pushed it under the coffee table. Pac-man gave him a long hug. He really missed him. It seemed every time he went away, he'd come back to a different kid. It was heartbreaking.  
After putting him to bed, the ghost hunter sat on the sofa, unsure of what to do next. He could hear his wife clinking around in the kitchen. It almost seemed like a typical day.  
She emerged a minute later, complaining about how little tupperware they had for the sixth time. Pac-man wanted to tell her that if she wanted some to go get it, like he always did, but something made it catch in his throat. He followed numbly when she suggested going to bed.  
"You must be awful tired from your flight," she murmured, rubbing his arm in a way that shouldn't feel wrong but did. He didn't respond, trying to focus on his breathing.  
Entering the bedroom was a like a slap to the face. It was all so _normal_. Why did everything have to make him so sad?  
He tore his eyes away from the Mario alarm clock he loved so much and slipped his arm out of her grasp.  
"We need to talk," he sighed. He sat on the bed, patting the spot next to him.  
Ms. Pac-man's eyebrows pulled together with worry. She quickly sat, concern on her face.  
"What's the matter, sweetheart? Is it about the tournaments?"  
He cringed inwardly, staring at the carpet.  
"N-not exactly."  
His heart was pounding. He felt almost like he wanted to cry, but doing that in front of her would only make things worse.  
Every time he tried to force out a word, it stuck in his throat. They sat like that for several minutes, the tension in his gut only building the more time passed.  
Finally he took a deep breath.  
"You have to know. I owe you that much."  
"Know what?" she whispered fearfully.  
Pac-man looked into her eyes, seeing the anguish and pain that she was already starting to feel. He took her hand and held it tight.  
"Y-you know when you said we had an open relationship, and that either of us could sleep with whoever we wanted as long as we came back to each other?"  
She nodded.  
"Well I found someone..."  
He paused.  
"But I'm not coming back."  
Her pretty face scrunched up, tears shining in her eyes.  
"Why?"  
Pac-man curled into himself, feeling so small. There were a million reasons, but only one of them was truly important now.  
"I love him," he said quietly. "I really love him."  
The bed sprung up as his wife stood, looking hurt and confused. She started pacing.  
"You're gay?"  
"I don't know," he answered truthfully, trying to follow her movements.  
"How long have you been together?"  
"Almost a month."  
"What's his name?"  
"Mega Man."  
She stopped.  
"_Mega Man_? Of all the meat hunks there you chose him?"  
"Y-what?"  
"Nothing, nothing."  
She placed a hand on her chin, annoyed, but not angry, which was a good sign.  
"Don't you have anything else to say?" he ventured tentatively.  
"What am I supposed to say? Oh, I'm happy for you? I hope you and him have a gay happily ever after? The question is, what do I do now? Do I sit in this house and pretend that you still love me? Do I tell Junior that we're moving away, and no he can't see his daddy because he's off banging a robot boy and he doesn't have time for him?"  
She laughed hysterically.  
Pac-man felt his nervousness lift as he heard those words. He could handle her being mad at him, but insulting Mega Man was a dangerous thing to do.  
"I can't believe you would say that! I love my son and even if we aren't married I will _always_ be there for you two! And don't you _dare_ talk about him like he's some cheap fling!" he snarled, standing up.  
"That's funny, you used to defend me like that!" she got in his face, practically foaming at the mouth. "But now I guess it doesn't matter!"  
"Of course it matters! I've been kicking the shit out of myself for the past three weeks because _everything_, our whole life together, mattered to me!"  
"_Well I guess it didn't matter enough!_"  
Across the hall, Junior pulled the blankets over his head, sobbing uncontrollably. His parents had never fought before. He was glad he couldn't hear the terrible things they were saying to each other. He feared, deep down, that his dad was leaving, and he'd never come back.

* * *

Mega Man sat in Dr. Light's lab, watching him fuss back and forth.  
"Ah, this place has been such a mess! Sorry, I really did mean to clean up! I didn't think you'd be here til tomorrow!"  
The robot crossed his legs, searching for a glimpse of familiar blonde among the towering stacks of paper.  
"I haven't seen it this messy in a long time. Is Roll out for the night or something?"  
Roll was his little sister, in short terms. Normally she kept the house spotless. It was one of her primary functions.  
"Oh no, please don't tell her!"  
Mega Man turned to the short, white-bearded scientist.  
"What?"  
Thomas Light was by no means a cowardly man, but right about then he looked absolutely terrified.  
"Roll went to see about enrolling in medical school. She wants to learn it herself instead of letting me install the programs. If she knew I'd let the place go like this, she might actually kill me!"  
Mega Man laughed, nearly falling over from the force. He grabbed into the edge of a desk, holding his gut.  
"Roll?! Our sweet roll is going to harm a human being?! Be rational, doc!"  
The man wiped his brow, sitting on a stack of paper with a whoosh.  
"You're right, you're right. She might be upset, but it's not like her programming would allow for such a thing anyway."  
Mega Man hopped up onto another stack of papers. It wobbled precariously, but his weight managed to keep it standing.  
"What about Zero? Is he showing up tomorrow? I know he might be busy but I'd like to see him."  
He didn't know what he said, but suddenly Dr. Light looked very uncomfortable. He fiddled with his ugly spotted tie and pulled a hand through his hair.  
"Last I heard from him, he was headed to Rushmount. I don't for the life of me understand why."  
Mega Man froze.  
Rockmount is dirty planet where desperate characters who've fallen from fame go to make money by selling their bodies for the fanboy's and girl's amusement. Simply being of a certain species might gain attention. One would think such a planet wouldn't exist, with so many heroes about, but the planet is filled with mostly innocents, and all the heroes are much too afraid of gossip and sexual objectification to stay long enough to do any justice to the real villains there. Everyone is well aware of the smutty fanart and fanfics online, so it's hard to tell if any scandalous pictures that arise from Rockmount are real or not. A lot of forgotten characters go there whenever they need a quick buck, but sometimes they don't come back.  
He toppled from his perch, scattering documents all across the lab.  
"_Rushmount?! AND YOU LET HIM GO?!_" he screeched. This was bad, so so _so_ bad. If he hadn't been heard from in a couple days he had probably been kidnapped, or killed! So many villains used the sex slave trade to exact revenge on unsuspecting heroes. He could disappear and nobody would think anything of it!  
"There was nothing I could do! I heard a couple of teenagers talking about it the other day and I couldn't get in contact-"  
"I have to go after him, doc! There's a huge possibility that he's in real danger right now!"  
He felt panic rising in his chest, so fierce it made his fingers go numb. Horrible images flooded his mind of what Zero could be going through right now. It was too much to handle.  
Tears stung at his eyes. He wiped them angrily, seething at Dr. Light .  
"_WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME YOU BASTARD?!_"  
Breathing heavily, he took a step towards the man. Dr. Light remained seated, but shrunk away.  
"I-I didn't think it was that bad! It was none of my business! I figured he was in a low place and he had a few things he needed to work out!"  
Mega Man wanted to rip his own hair out.  
"_How could you not know? That place is vile and disgusting! He should have never went alone!_"  
"I know it's a vile place but I didn't think it was _dangerous_!"  
His expression slowly transformed to complete horror.  
"My god, what have I done?! I'm so sorry, Rock!"  
He stood, clutching the sides of his head.  
"Oh my god..."  
"I'm going to find him, doc," Mega Man said quietly.  
"No! No no no no, out of the question! If it was that dangerous for him then it's twice as dangerous for you!"  
Mega Man strode towards him, grabbing the smaller man by his shoulders and shaking him violently.  
"I will _not_ sit by and do nothing! I'm going, and there's nothing you can do to stop me!" he hissed, throwing him back.  
Dr. Light bit his lip, tears sliding down his cheeks. They stared at each other a few minutes. Mega Man felt his anger ebbing away as he watched the man who was practically his father cry. He felt a pang. Getting angry would do no good.  
"Look, doc, I'm-"  
"If you're going, take this," the scientist whispered, pulling from his pocket a thin, silver bracelet. It had two buttons on it, one red, and one green.  
"If you need help, the red button will send out a distress signal and I'll come for you right away. Pressing the green button will release a poisonous gas. Use it to protect yourself. You may not be able to hurt humans, but it doesn't know that."  
"I don't need this, doc. Everything I need is wired into me," the android protested, turning the bracelet in his fingers.  
"If it's as bad as you say it is, then even that won't be enough. Be cunning, Rock. I couldn't bear the thought of losing you."  
Mega Man stilled a moment, then slipped the bracelet on. He reached out and pulled him into a hug, clutching at his back for comfort, and maybe a bit of courage. Suddenly he was going on what might be the most terrifying mission of his life.  
He took his duffel bag and unzipped it, dumping it's contents onto the floor. Almost at once, the metal pieces flew together and Mega Man's robotic dog, Rush, leaped upon him, his tail going wild.  
"Sorry I left you in there so long, but I know how you hate space travel."  
He pushed his nose against the dog's muzzle, closing his eyes.  
"I'm going on a mission, Rush. And this time you can't come."  
The tail wagging ceased. Rush pulled away and tilted his head, looking hurt.  
"No, boy, it's ok. I just need you to look after doc while I'm away. Can you do that?"  
"Woof!"  
Rush climbed off of him and padded over to Dr. Light, licking his pant leg. The roboticist smiled and rubbed his head.  
"Good luck, Rock. And don't worry, I won't tell Roll where you are."  
Mega Man smiled, even if he wasn't exactly feeling any better about it.  
"Thank you. Oh, and by the way-"  
Now his smile was more genuine.  
"I'm dating someone."  
Light's eyebrows shot up.  
"Really? Who?"  
Mega Man grinned wider.  
"Pac-man."  
The scientist gasped.  
"You-!..We will have a serious talk about this when you return!"  
"I'm looking forward to it!"  
Before he could talk himself out of it, he was sprinting out the door and dialing a number into his arm plate.  
"Duffy? Where are you? Turn around. I need you to pick me up. Do this for me and I'll make sure your name gets in the news."  
There was a pause on the other end.  
"Where do you want to meet?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**If anyone notices weird-looking sentences, please let me know. FFucknet has Ben re-formatting my documents like nobody's business. Be on the lookout.**

* * *

It didn't really set in until they landed on Rushmount. Mega Man stared out the window, watching the people on the street. There were a few characters in racy clothing standing on the corner. He vaguely recognized two of them, and one of them he knew immediately. Though his face was caked with makeup, there was no mistaking the yellow, two-tailed fox pulling at his leggings.

"You sure you want to do this?" Duffy asked uncertainly.

"This isn't a good place for someone like you to be going alone."

"That's why I'm here," Mega Man responded, not dragging his eyes from Tails.

"My friend came here by himself and no one's heard from him since. I have to find him."

Duffy scratched his face, pressing a few buttons on the monitor. The door lifted, letting in a slight draft.

"Okay...It seems like you know what you're doing. But I'm not moving from this spot until you come back."

Mega Man looked at him.

"It might be awhile. Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. If I get bored I can always scope out the local entertainment."

Mega Man made a face.

"That's really gross."

Duffy raised his eyebrows.

"You've never been here before, have you? This place runs on a hierarchy system. There's dirty prostitutes and there's expensive consensual partners. Most of the people who come here do it of their own free will. They won't sleep with just anyone. In that respect, you have to woo them into it. Now those two-" he gestured towards the two females outside, "may be a bit easier than most, but they still have their freedom, or else they wouldn't be out in the open like that. It's the back-room dealings you've gotta watch out for. From the sound of it, your friend got caught up in an underground prostitution ring, which means you'll have to dig deep if you want to find him. How famous is he?"

Mega Man bit his lip.

"I-I don't know. Next to legendary, I'd say. I don't understand why he's even here!"

"That's something you'll have to ask him yourself. But if he's that well-known someone will have seen him. It's just a matter of getting people to talk."

"Why wouldn't they talk?"

Duffy shrugged.

"Once they hear he's been gone awhile they'll connect the dots. And he probably got snatched up by one of the more powerful groups. Everyone is afraid of the big cats."

The android nodded.

"Well, time is of the essence. I'll give you a buzz if I can once I find out more."

"A-actually, better leave me out if this one. They could easily intercept one of our transmissions. We have to get him out of here as quietly as possible, so it can't be tracked back to us. We don't want any enemies."

"Okay..." He didn't like the idea that he didn't have backup, but there was no way in hell he'd drag anyone else into this. Better to keep them safe.

"Good luck, kid," Duffy called as he hopped out. Mega Man tossed him a hasty salute and began making his way to the corner. Tails saw him immediately and watched him approach with a hint of fear in his eyes.

Once he reached him, Tails grabbed his arm and pulled him close.

"What are you doing here? This isn't somewhere you want to be!"

The two girls, who he now recognized as Hyruleans, eyed him, but slipped away after a moment. Mega Man yanked his arm back.

"I'm looking for Zero. Have you seen him?"

Tails' eyes lit up. He tossed his cigarette onto the ground and crushed it under his boot.

"We can't talk here. My break is up in a minute. Come inside and sit in the corner booth. And keep your head down."

Tails pushed him towards a short building with neon signs and a bouncer at the door, adding, "you should've worn a disguise!" as he trotted towards the back door.

Duffy hooted at him in the background, but he ignored it entirely.

The line was fairly short for a Friday night, but that didn't stop people from wedging themselves together trying to get through the door. As he got closer, the music coming from inside grew louder. The bouncer, a biker-looking guy with tattoos and a leather jacket, straightened when he spotted Mega Man. He pushed the crowd of people back and unhooked the rope for him. Mega Man thanked him awkwardly as he darted past, hoping nobody in line knew who he was. That hope was soon squashed, however, as he entered the club. Immediately heads began to turn. He should've expected it, but it still made his stomach turn. Following the instructions he'd been given, he ducked down and weaved through the crowd, breathing a sigh of relief when he slid into the booth at the right corner. A few people continued to stare at him, but thankfully most of them went back to dancing. The floor was filled with mostly humans, but a handful of other races were also in the mix.

Suddenly the curtain pulled shut in front of him. He looked up to see Tails, who was now wearing a different shade of eyeshadow. The fox shed his jacket and swung a leg over him so that he was sitting on his lap.

"Uh.."

"Shh. We don't want to look suspicious," Tails hissed in his ear. He began rotating his hips, wrapping his arms around Mega Man's shoulders.

"Zero came in here a week ago. Asked me how he could get a job."

"What? Why?" he whispered, trying to ignore what the other was doing. He rested his hands on the fox's thighs, staring at the curtain in front of him with a straight face.

"He said he was desperate."

"No way! Have you seen how big his house is?"

"That's what I thought too, but he wouldn't say anything else. I told him to talk to Brucker. He's the guy who got me this job."

Tails pressed his body flush against the cyborg's, leaning down to nip at his neck.

"H-hey now.."

"Ah, sorry, it's a habit."

"Why are you here anyway?"

The fox sighed, making Mega Man shudder as his breath hit his neck.

"Who knows? I needed the money, and I wasn't opposed to it."

"What about Sonic?"

He chuckled lightly. Mega Man watched his tails sway back and forth as he circled his hips again.

"Our past three missions were a joke. Smash saved him from ending up here too. We hardly made anything at all. Apparently our tales of grandeur weren't riveting enough for the public. Nobody cared."

He sounded sad. Mega Man frowned with pity.

"Now that I think of it, how is it you've been getting by all these years? You haven't had a mission in, what? Four years?"

Mega Man took a breath.

"Sounds about right. I was mooching off of Dr. Light for a little bit of it. The other half I fought on planet Tekken and Marvel. The pay was alright, but those guys aren't as chummy."

Tails giggled.

"Man, I wish I could get an invitation to Smash. It seems like a lot of fun. And tons of money."

Finally, he pulled back and climbed off of him. Mega Man felt like he was being suffocated by his perfume.

"Speaking of which," Tails smirked, "care to drop a bit of that cash for a lowly dancer?"

"Oh, yeah, sure."

Mega Man pulled a $50 bill from under the plate above his elbow, shyly slipping it into his garter when he stuck his hip out.

Tails pulled out a napkin from the dispenser on the counter behind Mega Man's head and a tube of lipstick from his stockings, scribbling on it.

"You can call Brucker at this number. Tell him who you are and who you're looking for. He's a nice guy, should be able to help you."

After writing down the number he applied the lipstick to himself and gave Mega Man a kiss on his cheek.

"Good luck. And keep all of this between us, alright?"

The android made a bit of a face and immediately tried to wipe it off, making Tails laugh. The fox snatched up his jacket and sauntered out, leaving Mega Man to his thoughts.

What would Zero need a job for? Was he just getting restless without someone to rescue? If so, why didn't he just get a normal job? Would it really have been more embarrassing than ending up on Rockmount?

He stood, folding the napkin and stuffing it under his other armplate. He really needed to talk to Dr. Light about adding pockets to his suit.

As stealthily as possible, Mega Man pushed the curtain aside and began making his way back to the door.

A large hand came down on his shoulder, nearly causing him to jump out of his skin. He turned to see a tall, muscular man in a tight black t-shirt peering down at him with glittering eyes.

"Hey, hey, now that's a face I haven't seen here before. D'you come for some fun?"

He was way too close, and reeked of cologne. Mega Man pushed his hand away, fixing him with a hard stare.

"Why I'm here is none of your business, but believe me, I didn't come to hang out with the likes of you. Now get out of my way."

He tried forcing his way past, which would've been easy except that his programming didn't allow him to push the guy over, and he didn't budge. The man grabbed his wrist tightly, sliding close once more.

"Aw, why not? I know what to do with a cute thing like you."

Without warning, he pulled his hand down and pushed Mega Man's hand right between his legs. He could feel everything. The android yanked away instantly.

"What the-! You're a pig!" he snarled. By then a few people around them were looking, but nobody made a move to intervene.

The man laughed.

"Don't play hard to get! That's what your pretty friend did!"

Mega Man saw red. Before he knew it his free hand transformed into a cannon. He thrust it in the man's face, teeth bared.

"_What did you do to him?_"

Suddenly there was a flash of orange, and the hand on his wrist released. The large man reeled, turning on his assailant.

"Hey, this is none of your-!"

Another blow came from the second man, sending the first to the ground. The man in the orange coat pushed Mega Man behind him.

"Go, go!" he ordered.

No arguments there. The robot took his chance and sprinted out of the building, nearly barreling through the bouncer in his haste. Outside, he dropped to his knees, breathing heavily. Something like adrenaline had crept into his circuits, making his head spin. He could hardly believe he just did that. He wanted to kill him.

"You alright?"

Mega Man started, jumping to his feet. When he turned around he breathed a sigh of relief. It was the guy with the orange jacket. Now that he could get a good look at him, the guy was skinny, but muscular, with short-cropped red hair and brown eyes.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Thanks."

"No problem. James." He extended a hand, and Mega Man shook it.

"Mega Man."

"No shit? I knew you looked familiar."

"You didn't recognize me?" He was a little surprised.

"Eh, kinda. I tend to follow the Microsoft crowd. Used to be a private in the Halo initiative 'til the Covenant took my arm."

He pulled back his sleeve, revealing a gleaming, high-tech prosthetic.

"Ooh.." He couldn't help it, he had to touch it. James allowed it with a laugh.

"How'd that happen?"

The red-haired veteran pulled his sleeve back down.

"My first duty station, we get ambushed by the Covenant. I'm talking drop ships and everything. Before I know what's going on, this Elite sneaks up with his Energy Sword and BZZR," he made a cutting motion with his hand. "Clean through. Luckily the thing's hot as an iron, so it was immediately cauterized. As far as I knew I didn't have an arm. Then this buddy of mine recommended me to this roboticist in the Capcom quadrant and he outfitted me with my trusty silver lightning!" He flexed his right arm fondly.

Wait a second...

"Roboticist? You wouldn't happen to be talking about Dr. Light, would you?"

"Yup, that's his name!"

"Dude," Mega Man jumped excitedly. "That's the guy who made me! He's like a father to me!"

James grinned widely.

"That's awesome! Next time you see him, tell him private Travis says hello! That guy saved my life!"

Mega Man was beside himself. It truly was a small universe. He was glad to have a friend here.

"Oh, and um..you should be more careful around here. With a face like that, a lot of people are bound to hit on you, and some of them aren't going to be polite about it."

He couldn't help a grin.

"Thank god you're being so polite about it."

James paused, then smiled sheepishly.

"Been caught, have I?"

Mega Man smiled too.

"While I do applaud the effort, I've got someone waiting for me once I get off this rock."

"Yeah? Who's that?"

"His name is Pac-man. I'm sure even you've heard of him."

James' eyes nearly bugged out of his head.

"No way!"

The android gave him a smug look.

"It's true."

The other slapped him on the back, chuckling.

"Man, you hit the jackpot. He could buy out every planet in the universe!"

"Hey! I'm no gold digger!"

"No, but you can't say it isn't a nice perk!"

Mega Man almost pouted. It hadn't influenced his decision, had it?

James glanced back at the club.

"Alright, I'm gonna scram before that guy realizes I'm still out here and wants a rematch. I'll call you sometime!"

"I'd like that," the robot replied.

"And just something to remember; if anyone gets real touchy, make sure you make a huge scene. Contrary to popular belief, you want to keep where people can see you. Yeah, there's some scumbags, but at least one person will step in to help you. Having some status doesn't hurt either. If people recognize you, they're less likely to try anything. Nobody wants to mess with what might as well be the law here."

Mega Man made sure to keep that in his databanks. That was some really useful advice.

"I'll remember that. Thank you for all your help."

"No problem. And hey, if things don't work out with your sugar daddy you can always find me!"

"Don't count on it!" he called, waving as James turned a corner and disappeared.

Some part of him wished he'd asked why James was there in the first place. He thought the planet was full of horrible, sick people, but that was turning out not to be the case. Now he was curious about why exactly one would come to Rushmount. It might help him understand why Zero did.

Speaking of which...

He checked to make sure the napkin was still there, and jogged towards the nearest building. His search was going surprisingly well so far. Making sure nobody was around, he pulled the number from under the plate and unfolded it, hand poised over the invisible keypad.

Then everything went black.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

""""

"_Ring...ring...You've reached Mega Man, advocate for robot equality! Please leave a message!_"  
"Mega Man...I know you're there, the damn phone's built into your arm! I'm not sure why you'd put it on silent, but call me back as soon as you can."  
Pac-man frowned, flipping his phone shut for the third time. Why wasn't he picking up? He seriously needed to talk! What a time to not answer your phone!  
Sulking, he grabbed the shot glass in front of him and downed the glowing drink in a single gulp. He'd called a cab, gone as far as he possibly could, and ended up in a small village called Trench. It seemed fitting.  
Many of the bar's patrons stared at him and whispered to each other, but he ignored them. He seriously didn't want any attention at the moment. Instead he focused on the classic rock playing quietly from the jukebox.  
The bartender leaned over, a human, which was rare for his planet. He was kinda short with shoulder-length blonde hair and glasses.  
"How are you doing?"  
Pac-man glanced up, shaking his head a little.  
"I've been better."  
The guy didn't seem nervous at all, which struck him as odd. Normally people were either excited or sheepish around him. This man was calm and casual about it. Pac-man was immensely grateful for that.  
"May I ask what's on your mind?"  
The ghost hunter sighed, turning the glass in his hand.  
"It's complicated."  
"I'm a great listener," he pressed.  
Pac-man gave him a wary look.  
"What's your name?"  
The man grinned.  
"Mickey."  
They shook hands.  
"Nice to meet you. So tell me, Mickey, have you ever been married?"  
"Ooh, this is about Ms. Pac-man, isn't it?"  
"Yeup."  
Mickey withdrew from the counter, taking Pac-man's glass and re-filling it.  
"Alright, go ahead," he said, handing it over.  
Pac-man gave a half-smile and swallowed it down.  
"Well, in short, we're splitting up."  
Mickey picked something out of his hair, not looking up.  
"That much was obvious. Care to explain?"  
Pac-man stared into his glass, feeling the first signs of a buzz.  
"I just..found someone else. I know I shouldn't have expected us to stay married but..I dunno...I didn't think it would go down like this."  
"Like what? Did she get mad?"  
"Of course she did. But then she started being a real bitch about it. It would be one thing if she called me names, but to go and attack Mega Man like that.."  
Mickey held up a hand.  
"Wait...Mega Man? _The_ Mega Man?"  
"Unless there's another one I don't know about."  
The man chuckled.  
"Woulda never thought it! I hate to sound like a jackass but you two would look better than you and your wife did!"  
"How's that?"  
"Well for starters, Mega Man doesn't look like you made a clone and slapped a bow on it."  
Pac-man glared at him.  
"Not to be racist against my own kind, but we do all look alike. And only in recent years have we joined in on the whole cross-breeding business. Hell, I thought cross-species relationships were weird until I was 16."  
"Feeling a bit differently on that now, aren't ya?" Mickey said with a wink.  
Pac-man raised his eyebrows.  
"Ya think?"  
The bartender smiled.  
"So anyway, you were saying?"  
"I was saying that my wife openly insulted him and didn't think twice about it. And then she told me I was just being experimental, trying to talk me out of it. She said he was temporary and one day I'll wake up and regret ever leaving her."  
"And?"  
How did this guy always seem to know there was more to it?  
"And...I'm starting to worry she might be right."  
Mickey pointed at him, his mouth set in a firm line.  
"There it is. That's your problem. The whole time you were together you let her tell you what to do. She convinced you that she was always right and in the right. You're scared of leaving a controlling relationship. You've got it all backwards in the head!"  
Pac-man was too speechless to make a response, so he re-filled his drink and continued.  
"You've thought about this a lot, I can tell, and you went through with it anyway. That means something. You knew you wouldn't regret it enough to go back on your decision and now that it's too late to go back, she's got you thinking it isn't. There's no way in hell a woman would forgive her husband for even thinking about leaving her. She just wants to damage your pride and your relationship. Don't let her get into your head like that."  
The ghost hunter sat quietly for a minute. Everything he said made perfect sense, but it didn't make him feel any better. In fact, having it all explained to him only made it worse.  
"How can I blame her for that?" he asked quietly, barely above a whisper.  
Mickey seemed ready with an answer.  
"You can't. She's hurting, and it's understandable that she's going to try to hurt you too. But like I said, you can't take it back. This isn't the kind of thing you can make right. It sucks, but that's just the way it is. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you can move on."  
Nothing had ever sounded more true.  
Pac-man could already feel tears streaming down his cheeks. He managed a "thank you" and covered his face with his hands.  
Mickey took that as his cue.  
"It's on me," he murmured, patting the counter before turning to speak to another customer at the other end.

""""

_He wouldn't look at him, wouldn't talk to him. Mega Man didn't know what he did, but something was causing Pac-man to avoid him at all costs. It started subtle, avoiding eye contact and things like that, but a week later he was canceling every fight they had together and making sure they were never in the same room for more than two minutes. It was getting ridiculous. He tried to ask some of his housemates about it, but none of them seemed to have noticed. Samus offered to confront him about it, but even she couldn't get him to talk. Finally, Mega Man had enough. He convinced Captain Falcon to switch out with him in his next 1-on-1 fight with Pac-man, off the record of course. He knew if Pac-man saw it had been changed he definitely wouldn't show up.  
Mega Man made sure he was a bit late, so that Pac-man would already be waiting in the simulation arena and would have nowhere to run.  
He walked in as casually as possible, trying not to seem tense or suspicious. Pac-man turned a bit pale.  
"W-what are you doing here?" he started, taking a barely noticeable step backward.  
Mega Man shrugged nonchalantly, even though inside he was practically fuming.  
"Falcon said he wasn't feeling well. He asked me to switch with him."  
"Why didn't he just cancel it?" Pac-man pressed, sounding increasingly panicked.  
"How should I know?" Mega Man laughed nervously.  
"Are we going to fight or what?"  
Pac-man slowly raised his fists.  
"I guess so.."  
The robot dropped into a defensive stance.  
"Begin simulation," he called out to the empty room. Instantly, the floor and walls began pulsing, the flashing of the giant screens increasing until they stood on a flat version of Yoshi's island. The room was used strictly for 1-on-1 matches, as it could only simulate flat, tournament-style arenas. All 1-on-1's were fought there, a place where, Mega Man realized, there was no audience. There were cameras to record replays for those who wanted to watch them, but for the most part, they were alone, which meant they could speak freely.  
The pre-recorded announcer crackled over the speaker.  
"3...2...1...GO!"  
Without hesitation, Mega Man dashed towards the ghost hunter, preparing to use his spin attack, and stopped just in time to block a quick cherry throw from the other. He quickly reached out and grabbed him, tossing him forward into the air and then jumping up to slice with his flame sword, but he'd miscalculated and passed right underneath him. Before he could react a 50-pound red fire hydrant crashed down on his head, not even swayed as it knocked him to the side and smashed firmly onto the floor. Mega Man hit the ground hard, opening his eyes as he heard Pac-man land and begin charging up another bonus fruit. He was close enough for Mega Man to kick him as he got up. Pac-man dropped the orange he was holding and fell over the edge, allowing the robot to pick it up. The android took a second to think as the ghost hunter pulled himself over the edge. He was playing defensively, using items as much as possible to keep him from getting too close. Mega Man grinned and darted away from him and let the water from the fire hydrant push him further towards the other end of the stage, watching as he tried to procure another bonus fruit, only to come up with dust.  
Pac-man stomped his foot indignantly.  
"Hey! Give that back right now!"  
"Nuh-uh. You'll just have to come get it," he taunted, running his hand over the 8-bit item. The ghost hunter was turning red, and he found it hilarious. Finally Pac-man moved, landing a forward smash attack on the almost-forgotten fire hydrant, sending it flying towards Mega Man at an alarming rate. He tried to roll backwards, which in hindsight was very stupid, because it just followed him. It hit him right in the face, barreling him over into empty space. He breathed a sigh of relief as his fingers caught the edge of the stage. He pulled himself up and did a roll, just in case Pac-man was waiting to strike, only to find the ghost hunter was standing in the same place he had been, now looking redder. His eyes were fixed on the orange which, by some miracle, was still in the robot's hand.  
"Let go of it already!" he hollered.  
"I already told you, you'll have to come get it!"  
"FINE!"  
Pac-man leapt into the air twice, heading straight for him. Mega Man jumped as well. He dodged when he thought the ghost hunter was upon him, then turned to perform a backward slash as he passed by, only to find he wasn't there. Just as he did this, Pac-man kicked at him, and by some stroke of misfortune (or luck) their legs got hooked together. The two rotated in a full circle as they dropped to the floor, still tangled. Pac-man quickly jumped up, his face now deep red.  
"What the heck is your problem?!"  
"My problem? You've been avoiding me like the plague and I think it's about time I know why!"  
The yellow ball stilled, caught off-guard. He pressed his lips together, but the expression soon turned to a jagged line of pure embarrassment.  
"I...think you're cute. I mean-! I-I thought you were cute!"  
Mega Man felt his face getting hot. Was this really happening?  
"You thought?" was all he could manage. He wanted to smack himself.  
"I mean...I always thought you were good looking, but then I met you and you were just so nice and I couldn't deal with it! I tried not to get a crush on you, but I did..! I keep having all these feelings about you. Every time I see you smile, when you're thinking real hard about something, even if you're angry...You're compassionate and focused...I wish everyone could be like that..." he trailed off, rubbing a hand across his face.  
"God, I'm sorry, I didn't want to make you feel awkward around me..." he turned to walk out.  
"W-wait!" Mega Man grabbed his arm, making him stop. He felt fluttery for some reason. Nobody had ever shown interest in him before, or complimented him like that.  
"You don't make me feel awkward.."  
Pac-man faced him once again.  
"I don't?"  
"No, of course not! In fact.." he blushed a little.  
"I encourage you to pursue me."  
Pac-man drew away, staring at his shoes.  
"You don't understand...I'm married. I'm not supposed to be so infatuated with you."  
"But you are," Mega Man replied instantly. "You like me and...sometimes there's nothing you can do about these things.."  
Why did he sound so hopeful?  
Pac-man looked at him a very long time, searching his eyes for some hint of hesitation.  
"You're right," he said quietly. "Now I won't be able to stop thinking about you."  
The robot blushed further. How flattering he was. Just now he realized the kind of things Pac-man was feeling. It was a bit humbling to think all of it was directed at him.  
He was confused and overwhelmed by it, but there was no denying his curiosity. He even started to think he'd been missing out on something. It was a strange longing.  
"D-do you want to..kiss?" he stammered, his robotic heart picking up speed.  
The ghost hunter smiled nervously.  
"Yes."  
"O-okay.." Mega Man stepped towards him, not quite sure to put his hands. Pac-man, however, seemed to know exactly what he wanted to do, as if he'd been thinking about it for a long time. He stroked the android's face, elated that it was just as soft as he'd imagined, and leaned up slowly, closing his eyes. Mega Man closed his eyes too.  
Their lips met. It was like an electric shock went through them. The robot's fingers closed around Pac-man's arms, needing something to hold onto as he pushed his mouth softly against the other's. The ghost hunter moved both gloves to his face, buzzing with joy. It felt so nice, so gentle and caring.  
He pulled back slowly, releasing Mega Man. The robot was looking at him, wide-eyed, as if he'd figured something out. Pac-man couldn't find it in himself to move. His gut was turning, he felt like he'd done something very wrong, and he wanted to retreat to a safe distance and block himself off from him even more, but his legs weren't working.  
Finally the robot dropped his arms, freeing him from what felt like a vice rather than an embrace.  
Pac-man was out the door before he could stop him._

"""

The dream faded, dissolved into nothing.  
Mega Man felt like he was floating. His senses were numb, he couldn't see, but he felt calm and clear-headed. Something was bothering him, yet no questions came to him to be answered. It was a fog in his head.

_Powerup initiated...Calibrating optical display..._  
He came crashing back to earth. Everything hit him all at once; the table underneath him was freezing, his body ached and spasmed as he felt the electricity coursing through it, the smell of oil was overwhelming, the voices in the next room deafening. Then he was able to open his eyes.  
Every emotion and thought that hadn't existed a second ago flooded over him. He became confused and frightened and angry. As soon as his brain caught up with his vision he reached out a hand to the figure sitting before him, not sure if he wanted to tap his shoulder or choke him. A second later he registered the figure was not a him, but rather, an it. A small, square robot.  
When he touched it, it jerked up, obviously having been in sleep mode, and looked at him with its one eye. Immediately it threw its claws up, crying joyously, "I did it! He has regained power, Ms. Rose!"  
Mega Man sat up, feeling terribly weak.  
Regained?  
He was...dead?  
The shorter robot rolled up beside him, yanking a cord from his ear port and then disconnecting the other end from himself.  
"Greetings!" the robot chirped, waving enthusiastically. "My name is Claptrap! I've siphoned as much of my power to you as technologically possible!"  
It swayed on its wheel.  
"I feel dizzy. Do I look pale?"  
Mega Man barely heard.  
"T-thank you," he stammered, staring down at nothing, trying to collect his thoughts. Someone entered the room, Rose, he assumed. He looked up at the woman, who was studying him from the doorway. She had the fair bone structure and tall stature of a Hylian, pointed ears and dark skin, but her hazel eyes were wild, as if she was once an animal. She had a her brown hair tied up in a simple bun and she wore a frilled shirt and dress pants. He'd never seen a Hylian dress in modern styles. Odd.  
"What happened?" he asked without a moment's hesitation.  
Rose didn't look very nice. She raised her eyebrows, walking a few paces around the table.  
"There was a bit of a..hiccup. One of my underlings was sent to capture you, but he set his shock device too high and fried your motherboard. We managed to find another that fit, but then we had to restart you. Claptrap, you've done an exceptional job by the way," she addressed the square robot more kindly, patting it.  
"Why thank you, Ms. Rose!" Claptrap responded brightly, humming.  
Mega Man could feel fear gripping his stomach and twisting it into knots.  
"C-capture?"  
Rose turned back to him, her eyes narrowing.  
"We knew you were here almost the moment you landed. Your kind is a valuable resource."  
"How so?" he challenged, moving to get up.  
Rose seemed unfazed by this.  
"Heroes rarely come here. Especially ones of your stature. You were doomed as soon as you arrived," she shrugged. "Most are smart enough to keep their distance."  
Mega Man grit his teeth.  
"Tell me, why did you come here anyway?"  
The smile on her face was scary. He couldn't tell her he wanted to find Zero. She might have him, and if she knew he came on a rescue mission she might kill him. Rose seemed the type to deem anyone less famous than him unnecessary right now. She was completely focused on him. That was good. He could keep her attention where he wanted it.  
"That's none of your business," the robot hissed. Rose's smirk only grew as she leaned down.  
"Hmm. Could it be you've heard this planet is a haven for those with strange desires? What kind of secret are you hiding?"  
"Nothing!" he insisted, pushing himself forward. They were inches away from each other. He saw evil in her eyes; the drive to dominate and corrupt everything in her path, even if her methods were unorthodox. He's seen it enough times. She wouldn't rest until he stopped resisting her, and that was something to be afraid of.  
Finally the woman straightened.  
"It doesn't matter. You belong to me now. I've already made appointments. I'm putting you to work."  
"Appointments? Appointments for what?"  
Rose shook her head, chuckling in a way that sent a shiver down his spine.  
"Naïve boy. Come with me, we have some practicing to do."  
Mega Man didn't move. He just glared at Rose, wishing he had the ability to hurt humans. Rose planted her hands on her hips.  
"While we were repairing your system, we made a few modifications. I can see what you see, hear what you hear. With a word I can have you shut down for good."  
He squirmed uneasily, now noticing the slight pain at his temple. They had been digging around in his components.  
He looked up and smirked a bit, something occurring to him.  
"You wouldn't kill me."  
The woman smirked too.  
"No, you're right. Then I'd have all of your friends on my back, snooping around. In fact, after a couple of weeks they'll most likely show up, so you'll only be here for a short time. I'd be overwhelmed for sure..." she looked at the ceiling and tapped a finger on her chin, feigning thought. "However..." her eyes flitted back to his. "Your death doesn't necessarily have to be permanent, does it? I'll just need a little time to reprogram you. I could easily wipe your memory."  
Mega Man visibly stiffened, an intense chill coursing through him at the notion. What help could he be if he couldn't even remember what his name is? If he forgot everything he'd have no way of telling anyone what happened to him.  
"I could do anything I please, really. You are in the unfortunate position of being in my possession, even if it's only for now."  
"I don't belong to you," he growled, jumping off the table. He was feeling dangerous. His arm transformed into a cannon, and he pointed it at Rose. She only laughed.  
"Put that away, Mega Man. You know as well as I do you won't be able to use it on me."  
The robot lowered his weapon. He stole a glance at his wrist, seeing that the bracelet was still there and intact. They hadn't bothered with it.  
The question was: should he use it? This woman might be able to lead him right to Zero. If he escaped now he might never find him, and everything so far would be in vain.  
He'd play along until he could get more answers.  
But damn, she gave him this horrible feeling, like she had every ounce of control she claimed. That was frightening.  
His arm returned to normal. He bit his lip.  
"You said you'll let me go. If I do what you say, will you leave me unaltered?"  
She smiled, showing all of her teeth.  
"Of course. Now, if you're finished, we've got work to do. Come with me."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

-

Every scrap of evidence of what he'd just done was stained on him, and no amount of brushing, scrubbing, or pacing could make it go away.  
After what Rose had called his "practice", he was shown to a big room with an intersecting bathroom with every accommodation where he immediately ran and took two showers and brushed his teeth five times. He hardly cared when he noticed the little cameras hidden in every corner of both rooms.  
He tried to throw up, but nothing came out of him.  
It was all still so fresh in his mind. There was a man first, then a woman. He could barely remember the man's face, but he remembered his hands all over him. Mega Man was terrified. Sometimes he held him down, sometimes he picked him up. He made the robot suck him for a good while, plunging all the way to the back of his throat per Rose's instructions. He couldn't get the taste out of his mouth, and his throat felt raw.  
The woman was on top of him the whole time. Bouncing up and down. She was soft enough that they almost stuck together. Somewhere in his head, he knew she was being loud, but he didn't hear. He stopped feeling anything halfway through, his body and mind in too much shock to register anything except for Rose's voice hissing in his ear.  
_"You're almost a real boy, Pinnochio. All you have to do is finish._  
And he did. With both of them. It was strange. A numbing tingle and a rush of burning heat through his body, and then nothing.  
A little voice in the back of his head reminded him of her words afterwards.  
"Don't you think it's funny that you can do that? Dr. Light must've spent a lot of time making these parts of you as real as possible. I wonder how he made sure it all worked?"  
She ran her fingers up his shaft.  
Mega Man hit her. His hand lashed out quicker than his brain could keep up with. It felt good. His motor functions reacted before his protocols could override the action.  
She didn't move, just looked at him and rubbed her cheek.  
"I bet he touched you," she finished.

She promised a late-night surprise to repay him for that. All he could do was sit on the bed and wait.  
But the longer he sat, the more times it replayed in his head.  
_It shouldn't have been like this. I didn't want to lose my virginity to strangers._  
Dr. Light would've been so disappointed. He didn't even last one day. It was driving him crazy. He should've expected something like this. He should've prepared for even worse.  
Did James set him up? Did he work for her too? Or was it Tails? Or Duffy?  
Mega Man wanted to press the red button and send out the distress signal. He played with the silver bracelet for an hour, trying to picture the moment when the roboticist would burst through the door, with Rush and maybe even Roll scaring off Rose's lackeys in the hallway. For now he'd just take comfort in that, and not question how the man thought he'd be able to barrel into a prostitution headquarters and escape unharmed. Then again, maybe he didn't care as long as Mega Man could make it out.  
He realized he knew almost nothing about the building he was in. The "practice" room was just around the corner from the technology lab he woke up in, and beyond that were the stairs that led up to his bedroom. There were other rooms near his, but everything seemed very quiet down the hallway, so he assumed they were empty. His room itself was like a hotel suite, which was both unnerving and ironic. They wanted to treat him well while also not treating him well.  
After what seemed like an eternity, he rose his sore body from the bed and walked to the door. No one had locked it.  
He couldn't just wait around for his next punishment. He'd take whatever consequences that came with that. Right now he needed to occupy himself, his mind, re-focus, get back on track. It would all be for naught if he couldn't find Zero.  
So to do that, he first needed to find a weak point, somewhere in the building where no cameras nor eyes could see. A door, a window, anything. And then he could plan his next course of action.  
He quietly slipped out, looking both ways down the hallway. The only light came from the stairwells at each end. Since he came from downstairs, he decided to take the ascending staircase to his right. He felt odd wearing the pajamas he'd been provided as he walked. They were itchy and clingy. He scratched his legs and pulled the top away from his neck uncomfortably.  
At the top there was another dark hallway, with a couple branching off near the middle. The walls facing the hallway were glass, allowing him to look in each one as he passed. He still didn't see any windows aside from the one in his room, and still a tiny camera hid in every corner. The rooms were all empty aside from a few long desks and a couple tables with phones. Maybe it was where they conducted business, "commissions", as Rose had said. It was strange to think a place like that could go unnoticed by authorities.  
A quiet buzz started up in his right ear. He tried to ignore it, but it only grew louder and louder until there was suddenly a voice speaking directly into his head.  
"Mega Man? Can you hear me?"  
The robot froze.  
"What the hell?"  
He quickly pulled off his helmet and went digging in his ear for whatever they'd implanted in there, until the voice spoke out again.  
"Don't do that! That would not go over well with Rose!"  
He stopped, gritting his teeth at the mention of that vile woman and what surely meant more punishment.  
"Who is this? What do you want?"  
"My name's Cynthia. Can you hear me okay?"  
"I can hear you just fine. Now why did you people feel it was necessary to put this in me?"  
Cynthia went silent a moment.  
"I-it was actually me who did that. I convinced Rose it was a good idea. I thought I might be able to keep you out of trouble and answer any questions."  
Mega Man snorted.  
"I don't need your help."  
"But I think you do. I'm a huge fan of yours!" She sounded like she was suppressing the urge to squeal. "And if you'll let me, I'll help you get out of here."  
The android almost laughed.  
"Why should I trust you, huh?"  
"Well I'm currently sitting in the control room. I watch all the cameras. You don't have much of a choice."  
"What, are you gonna tell on me for leaving my- wait a minute, you didn't watch me shower, did you?"  
"Of course I did. It's part of my job. Besides, I really couldn't miss the opportunity."  
"I thought that little show before then would've been enough for you," he growled.  
Another stretch of silence followed that comment. Glad for the moment of peace, Mega Man slipped his helmet back on and continued down the hallway.  
"No, I couldn't.." Cynthia said quietly. "I couldn't watch that.."  
The robot nodded slowly, peeking into another room.  
"Neither could I."  
"Are you okay?"  
He stopped, letting out a breath.  
"No."  
"Were you a.."  
"Yes."  
"Did you.."  
"Yeah. Twice."  
He was nearly deafened by the gasp that sounded from the other end.  
"My god, I'm so sorry!"  
"Don't be."  
He was starting to feel increasingly annoyed and depressed by the conversation, but Cynthia didn't pick up on it.  
"...did it hurt?"  
"Why do you care?" he snapped.  
"Because I want to help!"  
"I don't want your help!"  
"Why not?"  
Mega Man didn't want to tell her anything. He didn't want to tell her about Zero.  
"I still don't trust you."  
"Go into the next room."  
"What?"  
"Just do it!"  
He rolled his eyes and pulled open the door to his left, letting it shut behind him.  
"Why am I in here?"  
"Shh!"  
Mega Man shut his mouth as a figure passed by outside. It was too dark to make out the face, but luckily he was gone a few seconds later. He could feel his heart beating in his throat.  
"That was close."  
"Am I not allowed to be out of my room?" Mega Man hissed, inching away from the door.  
Cynthia laughed.  
"No, you are. I just thought I'd demonstrate my usefulness."  
The robot growled, stepping out into the hallway again.  
"You've made your point. But you need to understand...I don't need your help yet. I don't want to leave yet."  
"Why the hell not?!" the girl screeched, making him cry out in alarm. "Don't you know it only gets worse from here?"  
"It doesn't matter. It's already done. I still have things I want to accomplish and I'm not leaving until I do that."  
"Why would you think no more harm could be brought to you? You think somehow the shock and humiliation is over? I've had people like you come through here before. It's a dangerous way of thinking. You have no idea what's going to happen."  
He had no way of speaking without revealing his true plans, so he was forced to hear her out. She was right on one thing. He didn't know what was going to happen.  
But he was strong.  
He could handle it. This first time was hard, but it couldn't possibly get any worse. He'd already been violated in the worst way.  
What was once more?

He found he'd unconsciously walked back down the stairs. Apparently his body knew what it was doing. He felt exhausted, but he also felt like he'd accomplished something for the day. All the more reason to sleep.  
As he passed by the room across from his, he caught a light coming from underneath the door.  
He entered without thinking about it, surprised to find the room nearly identical to his.  
Most of the space was white and grey, but it looked substantially more lived-in than his own. There was trash and clothes strewn about, and on the unmade bed lay a naked woman with red hair. He almost didn't recognize her.  
"Daisy..?"  
Cautiously he approached her, taking in the circles under her eyes and how dull and dry her hair looked. Her arms were littered with tiny scars, some fading, and some new. He couldn't pinpoint what would have caused them.  
Quickly the robot covered Daisy with the blanket, remembering how terrible it felt to have his body looked at against his will. He could never do that to anyone.  
Daisy stirred, shifting under the blanket and then blinking her eyes open slightly. She pushed the covers off, mumbling about how hot it was, and stared at Mega Man.  
The android stared back. It was obvious she was on some sort of drugs, her eyes glassy and unfocused. The marks were from a needle, he realized.  
She gradually blinked and actually came to register who it was in front of her.  
"Mega Man?"  
He smiled.  
"Yes! And you're Daisy, right?"  
She didn't answer.  
"..What are you doing here?"  
As hard as he tried, he couldn't help but glance at her bare chest. Why wasn't she covering up? Did she even care?  
"You're not here to fuck me, are you?" she asked in a crabby tone of voice, sitting up a little. Mega Man could see how exhausted Daisy was, mentally and physically. She looked defeated and desolate. Left behind.  
Did Zero feel that way when he left?  
After a second, he remembered to answer her.  
"N-no. I was just exploring. I didn't think anyone else was here."  
She stood, rubbing her hands on her face as she slunk towards the dresser.  
"Yeah, they're here. Sometimes. Usually busy."  
"Who?"  
"The others. Our fellow 'superstars'."  
She laughed.  
"But I have the most time here."  
Mega Man stared at the wall as she pulled a pink t-shit over her head.  
He was almost afraid to ask. How must it feel to always stand just outside the limelight?  
"How'd you end up here?"  
She looked at him, her expression a mixture of contempt and sadness.  
He could see the answer in her eyes.

He thought Luigi's story was all he'd ever need to understand how it was to be secondary. But he realized he was wrong.  
All this time he believed he understood. He tried to make his friends feel better about living in his shadow, but he had no idea just how much it hurt. He couldn't possibly understand how it felt when nobody cared.  
That's why some people came to Rushmount.  
They wanted to feel important.  
Daisy was no exception.

Not only was she ignored on her own planet, but she was soon forgotten here too.  
"Nobody knows I'm here. At first I came for attention...and when I got some from Rose, I finally stopped wanting it. But by then it was too late."  
She swiped a syringe off of the bed and sat down, now clothed. Mega Man sat too.  
"I'm guessing you also have an implant," she said, pointing at a small lump on the side of her neck.  
The robot rubbed the area on himself.  
"Is it a bomb?" he asked quietly, massaging the newfound object under his skin. There were no stitches.  
A frown curved her lips, making her face look all the more sunken.  
"That's what she told me."  
It was bothering him now. He couldn't stop pawing at it. Daisy grabbed his wrist, her eyes narrowed.  
"You'll set it off if you keep doing that. I saw someone explode before my eyes trying to cut it out."  
Mega Man froze, shivering.  
"Just how many people are being held captive here?"  
Daisy shrugged.  
"You're the first I've seen in a while. When I got here there were about ten of us. A couple weeks ago someone escaped...I think his name was Sloppy or something..and apparently he tore a giant hole in the building. Everyone escaped except me."  
Her eyes grew distant.  
"I got so stoned I passed out. I didn't hear a thing."  
He remained silent, not sure what to say to that. In an effort to distract her, he asked, "So how did they avoid getting blown up?"  
She blinked.  
"I don't know. Now that I think about it, Sloppy seemed to be pretty tech savvy-"  
"Slippy," Mega Man corrected, remembering the toad creature being mentioned by Fox and Falco several times. He must've been a friend of theirs.  
"Anyway, he probably knew what he was doing. I hope they all got off safely.."  
That's it! When he found Zero, he'd send out the signal to Dr. Light and when he arrived he could remove the bomb. The roboticist would have no problem getting it safely out.  
Now the issue was locating Zero and plotting with him without Rose's knowledge.  
For that, he supposed, he could count on Cynthia's help.  
He'd almost forgotten about her.  
"What do you know about this?" he said aloud. Daisy looked at him funny, so he pointed to his earpiece and her eyes went wide.  
Cynthia hummed.  
"I didn't catch any of it on camera, but I did hear about it. Rose didn't seem very happy though, so I'd say they got out just fine."  
The android smiled.  
"I think they did," he said to Daisy. She let out a huge sigh of relief.  
Everything Peach had said about her was true. This place may have given her a rough exterior, but she was just as sweet and caring as Mega Man had heard. He turned to Daisy with a grin.  
"Peach speaks fondly of you. They all do."  
The redhead looked away and bit her lip.  
"If they truly cared, I'd be out of here by now."  
The grin faded. He wanted to say something along the lines of "they've been busy", but he doubted that would make her feel any better.  
He felt terrible. He couldn't empathize with her on that. It loomed over her like a cloud. She was forgotten.  
Suddenly, and for no apparent reason, his body started to feel hot. The area between his legs began to tingle. He squeezed his legs together, willing it to go away, but it only worsened.  
What the hell was going on? Daisy noticed his discomfort, and he opened his mouth to assure her it was nothing, but the words stuck in his throat when another surge of heat raced down his spine.  
Daisy was still staring at him, and his mouth was still open.  
"I have to go," he yelped, feeling the pajamas cling to his semi-erection. In a flash, he was down the hall and alone in his room. He sat on the bed, pushing down the urge to take off his clothes. His head was buzzing.  
_This has never happened to me before._  
He didn't even think it could happen. Random erections were not part of his programming, as far as he knew.  
He stared down at the clothed appendage, watching it rise quickly.  
He didn't want to do anything sexual. Apprehension and shame came with the feeling. The wounds hadn't closed yet. He didn't want it before, he certainly didn't want last night, and now he didn't know if he ever would.  
But his dick didn't care about all of that. He tried thinking about the most disgusting, horrible things, hoping it would turn him off, but it was clear no amount of mental work would deter his body's need for release. It became painful. It felt like it was pulsing with burning liquid, his balls felt tight enough to pop. The robot squirmed and clutched the bedsheets in agony, digging his teeth into his lip. Finally he couldn't bear it anymore. He tore off the clingy pants and almost immediately wrapped his hand around his penis. It was something he'd never done, and never had the urge to do until now. He felt more than a little odd touching himself, but the awkwardness melted away as his hand began pumping his shaft. The android let out an involuntary moan, his entire body humming gratefully at the smallest movement. He fell onto the bed, his free hand still gripping the blanket, and his hips started to move all on their own.  
His vision flashed and he found it difficult to keep his eyes open, his optic screens fizzling rapidly as the pleasure built, making his spine bend like a wire being tightened.  
Mega Man cried out, reaching his peak. This time it felt like electricity and ice passing through him, leaving him sated and tired. He looked his hand, at the mess of whatever it was he had instead of semen, and decided he was too tired to clean it up.  
His eyesight slowly faded in and out.  
He didn't think of anything.  
Sleep swallowed him up before he could wonder who had been watching.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

""""""""""""""""

Mega Man woke up that morning to a buzzing in his right ear. He heard tiny snippets of speech slice through the noise, before the sound cut off.  
Gradually, his vision focused. He stuck his legs straight out to stretch them, as they'd been hanging off the end of the bed. It took a moment before he felt the dried substance on his hand. He sat up.  
His pants were still on the floor, but there was no underwear to be found, because apparently his captors assumed he wouldn't need them.  
He made a face, picking some of the stuff off the comforter.  
He remembered what he'd done last night, but he still didn't know why. So early in the day, and his mood was already dampened.  
He walked over to the dresser, where he'd found his pajamas, and saw that his suit had been returned to him, freshly laundered with his armor polished. He hadn't even heard anyone come in.  
Gathering his clothes, the android walked into the bathroom to take a hot shower. It felt amazing. The scalding water loosened his robotic muscles and made him feel truly clean. At least, for now.  
The washed every inch of himself, noticing for the first time the strawberry scent of the body wash. Did he really need to smell like a fruit for someone to want to fuck him?  
He paused. The realization was like a slap to the face.  
Today he had customers.  
It would be different this time.  
Rose told him they had to keep a "legal" appearance. To everyone else, he was there on his own will. This meant, undoubtedly, that he would have to act consenting.  
How could he possibly do that?  
As much as he'd like to avoid ending up as a pile of scraps, pretending to want sex just didn't seem like something he could do. How were any of these perverts going to believe someone so inexperienced wanted the same things they did?  
Then again, it probably wouldn't matter to them. As long as they all got a piece.  
He shut off the water, suddenly feeling very cold, and dried quickly. As he stared at his suit, he wondered if he shouldn't just wear something else. The welcoming committee had put together an extensive wardrobe for him, and he really didn't want to soil his suit.  
He sighed. And of course, they hadn't returned his underwear.  
He might need those, if only so he could pull them off later.  
Mega Man shuddered.  
He really didn't want to think about it. The image made him dread it more.  
As he'd predicted, the top drawer of the dresser was filled with nothing but women's underwear and lingerie.  
Was that really necessary?  
Truthfully he wanted to pull some kind of practical joke just to get back at them. He could put on twenty pairs of underwear and spend every session taking them off one by one. He chuckled humorlessly, selecting a pair of white frilly briefs (as if the color mattered) and slipping them on without a second thought.  
It took a lot of adjusting things, but he finally was able to find a position and placement that didn't feel too uncomfortable.  
He turned, catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror, and paused.  
"Ugh," he muttered, making a face.  
It looked good on him. How disappointing.  
"Mega Man?" Someone knocked softly on the door. He recognized Daisy's voice.  
"Come in," he answered distractedly, his eyes still fixed on the mirror. He saw Daisy enter behind him and close the door. She watched him from across the room, her cerulean eyes full of pity.  
"How are you holding up?" she asked after a moment, clasping her hands over her dingy dress. Mega Man placed his hands on the edges of the mirror, staring into his own eyes. He studied the electric cyan stemming through cobalt blue, shaking his head a second later.  
"I'm fine. I'll be fine," he responded, turning his back on the mirror. Daisy's disapproving frown told him she didn't believe him.  
"Well, regardless...I'd like to talk to you about something."  
Mega Man jumped onto the bed, blushing and quickly folding the blanket over where he left his mess from earlier.  
"..okay, I'm listening."  
The princess kept her eyes on the carpet, tucking a lock of auburn hair behind her ear as she drew a breath.  
"I have this..coping technique I want to share with you."  
Mega Man bristled visibly, making Daisy jump to her own defense.  
"I don't care what you say about it. It may be useful to you. Maybe it'll help keep you sane, like it did for me."  
The android slumped. This kind of talk was making him feel queasy. He didn't want any of it. He wanted to shut it as long as possible.  
"I-if you find yourself in a place where you just can't handle it...just imagine it's someone else."  
"What?" he yelped.  
"Pretend it's someone you love, someone you trust. Someone you know would never hurt you."  
She swallowed.  
"It helps."  
Her face tinted a little pink from holding back tears. The air conditioning kicked in above her head, making her hair ruffle and dance. Mega Man caught sight of something on her bare shoulder, and nearly jumped at the chance to change the subject.  
"What's that?" He pointed. Daisy clasped a hand over her shoulder self-consciously, shame in her eyes. She rubbed a few times, then let her hand fall back to her side, revealing a fiery orange dragonfly tattoo with iridescent wings.  
She chuckled.  
"Beautiful, isn't it?"  
Daisy rubbed it again.  
"It's a brand. I'm surprised you don't have one yet."  
She looked him over.  
"I wonder what you'll get."  
Mega Man rigidly shifted, feeling restless at the thought of having his body bar-coded like that.  
"And how's that decided?" he asked in a pitched tone. Daisy gave him a look of concern, so he ducked into the bathroom and busied himself with getting dressed. She followed.  
"I like to think they go by attitude. That way you can be fitted with the right clients..."  
"You like to think?" he echoed.  
Daisy hesitated, leaning heavily on the doorframe.  
"Someone told me it...symbolizes what you're willing to do."  
Of course.  
"They didn't bother to ask you," she gasped.  
It wasn't even a question.  
"Will they?" he squeaked, feeling his chest cave with apprehension. He felt exactly like he swallowed a snowball. He didn't want to know all this. He couldn't handle it right now.  
The princess furrowed her eyebrows.  
"I doubt it," she grunted honestly.  
"They asked me because I was interested at first. For you.."  
"..they won't care," he finished, meeting her eyes despairingly.  
"How am I supposed to pull off this act?"  
"Like I told you," she started..  
He didn't look over, trying to hide the wall he was putting up in the conversation. The idea was impossible. Disgusting.  
"Your brain will do things to preserve your sanity," she added more gently. "But you need-"  
"I appreciate you trying to help, Daisy," Mega Man interrupted in a harsh tone, pretending to inspect the right arm plate before he snapped it into place. He shoved the helmet over his head. "But I can take care of myself. Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."  
As the robot started for the door, he heard the princess huff frustratedly behind him. Even though his sense of dread was back, and she was a welcome way to deliberate, it was too late to feel sorry about it.  
When did he get so prideful?  
He kept his head down until he was out in the hallway.  
"Good morning!" a female voice chittered brightly, making him jump. In front of him stood a tall blonde, with some sort of strange religious medallion hanging around her neck. She wore little makeup and flat shoes. She didn't look like a prisoner.  
Mega Man didn't respond. The woman pushed through the silence with another smile, brushing her hair out of her face.  
"My name's Tara," she continued. "I've been sent to take you to Mr. Gillian's estate for a night of passion and romance!"  
Mega Man wanted to throw up.  
"You'll spend the day-"  
"Psst. Cynthia," the robot hissed quietly, tapping the side of his helmet. Tara droned on and on about her master's plans, oblivious.  
"Who's Gillian? Do you know anything about him?"  
"Oh, yeah. Most newbies are sent to him as a test. I've never heard about what happens if you don't pass, though. Nobody who's come through has failed."  
"That's good to hear."  
"Don't relax just yet. He knows about our operation here. He's in on it. He knows just as much about you as Rose does. You may pass the test, but only time will tell if you truly are victorious."  
Mega Man straightened when Tara flashed her smile again.  
"R-right. Let's go."

"""""""""""""""""""""""

It was strange to walk out of the building. It felt normal, but it wasn't. He wasn't free anymore.  
A sleek, black car with tinted windows pulled up to the building, which turned out to be much bigger than he'd originally thought. The whole thing was set inconspicuously in the middle of some city unknown to him. If he wanted to escape, he needed to know the area.  
Tara said nothing the whole ride, but still smiled like she was waiting for a conversation to start. Mega Man was told everything would be explained when they arrived.  
They drove for nearly an hour, exiting the city into a luxurious neighborhood with tall houses and flashy cars. He laughed, wondering, with his status, why he still lived in a lab. In fact, after the tournament he could be set for life.  
Maybe he could retire.  
The idea was enough to distract him so much that he barely noticed being brought into one of the houses and sat down in the parlor. There were two windows, both with curtains shut, and a small fireplace crackling nearby. He sat on one of the three leather couches, feeling small in such a big house. Tara scurried off to find her master, leaving him with his thoughts.  
The mission isn't even over. Did he want to quit because of the mission? Is it already starting to take a toll on him?  
"Mega Man."  
The android looked up, surprised to see a rather young man with short, dark hair, a neat suit and clean shave. He wasn't at all the disgusting pig he'd envisioned. In fact, he was even a little handsome.  
Mega Man watched him, choosing not to respond.  
"Known in Japan as Rockman, creation of Dr. Light, and 'advocate for robot equality'," he chuckled at that last part. "Unfortunately, from now on you will not be treated as an equal."  
He sat on the couch across from the robot, interested.  
"My name is Eric Gillian, and Rose has made me aware of your situation. You're not going to be around long," he sighed. "Seems we caught you at a bad time."  
He perked up quickly.  
"However, today is still necessary for statistical purposes. There are matchmaking reasons too, but really, I don't see what there isn't to like."  
He smiled.  
Mega Man huffed with irritation.  
"I'll show you something you won't like, I promise."  
Gillian only smiled wider, and clasped his hands.  
"Let me tell you the rules, since apparently nobody has bothered to. While you're here, you're Rose's property first and foremost. Rose is selling a product, which in case you didn't know, is your body."  
The robot flinched at those words.  
"She wants to make sure she's selling a good product, so she's made a few rules."  
He stood and began pacing, his hands behind his back.  
"You will make yourself look presentable at all times. You will never disclose about our operation and you will never act like there is one. You'll never tell a customer no unless we say so, and you'll do everything in your power to make their experience the best. But like I said, with a name and a face like yours, I doubt they'd be picky. Still, we have an image to uphold."  
He stopped.  
"There are far more rules, but I'm sure you already know them. The consequences for breaking the rules here are the same as with Rose. Only here, you'd treat me as you would a customer."  
The android kept silent.  
"Aren't you going to say anything?"  
He thought about it.  
"Well I'd hate to say something that might get me in trouble," he said honestly, leveling his gaze with the man.  
Gillian laughed.  
"Smart boy."  
He pulled out a pen and pad from his pocket, settling in on the couch once again. He wrote for a minute.  
"Alright, the first part of this test is a short interview. Can you tell me how old you are?"  
"28."  
The man chewed his pen.  
"So...shota.." he mumbled as he scribbled it down. "And do you still receive routine hardware updates?"  
"Yes."  
"Good. Software?"  
"Yes."  
"Are updates self-administered?"  
"Are you asking if I can adapt, Mr. Gillian?"  
"In short, yes."  
Mega Man smirked, throwing his arm across the back of the couch.  
"Of course."  
Gillian smiled too.  
"Excellent." He wrote some more.  
"Are you a virgin?"  
"Was."  
The man looked up, making a face.  
"Damn, can't Rose control herself?"  
"Apparently not. And apparently neither can you."  
"What do you mean by that?"  
"I mean instead of using your resources," he gestured at the lavish room. "For something productive, you spend your time hooking up unsuspecting perverted lowlifes with captured heroes," he spat.  
The man stood. He chuckled darkly.  
"You yourself _are_ here, captured, but think you're still a hero. I wonder why that is."  
"Because that's what I've always been."  
Suddenly Mr. Gillian leaned in close, grabbing him by the front of his suit.  
"Well traumatic events have a way of changing a person."  
The robot was pulled to his feet.  
Gillian stepped back and put his hands on his hips.  
"Take off your clothes."  
Mega Man bristled.  
"No."  
"You don't get to say no."  
"I'm saying it anyway."  
He could feel his body building with rage and fear, nearly shaking in front of him. The man sighed.  
"Let me make this crystal clear. If the media were to find solid proof that you were on Rushmount, you may find it difficult to return to your tournament. Especially now that you have a little boyfriend. The media went nuts over that. I wonder how Pac-man would feel when he learns about your nasty, twisted sex life."  
Mega Man froze dead, clenching his fists.  
"You leave him out of this! He knows me better than that!"  
"Does he? It seems to me like you two haven't been together long."  
"Shut up!"  
"I will. After you take off your clothes."  
He was starting to feel crazy again. Alarms were going off in his head, preventing him from moving until he was sure he wouldn't hit him.  
Finally, the robot exhaled, starting to take off his armor.  
"There will be punishments for your disobedience. You're going to do the rest of the interview in your underwear, and you'll wear this." He slipped a small leather strap with a bell on it from his pocket, holding it out cheekily.  
Mega Man turned away slightly as the suit came off, hating himself for not looking for his own underwear.  
Gillian stared at him openly, rubbing his face.  
"They look cute."  
The robot growled in response, snatching up the collar, his face pink with embarrassment. He stared at the floor, finished.  
"Now come sit on my lap," the man instructed, taking a seat and patting his knees.  
"Not a chance," the android snapped, pausing his movement when the collar jingled.  
"I'm sorry, was I not clear earlier?"  
Eerily quietly, Mega Man scooted over and slid into his lap, trying to arrange himself in the least awkward position. Gillian wrapped his arms around his shoulders, pulling his back to his chest, and traced his fingers over the faint seams at his hips. This went on for a moment, Gillian too absorbed and Mega Man so in shock that they both stayed quiet.  
"It's unbelievable how real your skin feels. You're a true imitation robot, equipped with the same senses and parts as any human, though not all of them are necessary. If I didn't know better, I'd even say you were designed for sex."  
Mega Man kept his eyes on the carpet, every circuit screaming protest as the man's fingers roamed freely over him. He pinched a nipple, delighted at the muffled noise the other gave.  
"Sensitive too," he commented.  
The robot closed his eyes tight, trying to push back the feeling of a caged animal. His thoughts began to spiral, dragging him back to the suffocating anxiety he felt the day before.  
"This is another part of your test. I figure I can save some time by doing two at once. Now I assume your preference is males.."  
He only nodded, holding his breath. He could feel Gillian's erection against the back of his thigh, and had trouble focusing on anything else.  
"Any species preference?"  
"N-no," he stuttered, shifting slightly. This only moved the problem to another area. He shivered. Gillian kissed his neck.  
"What about toys? Bondage? Anything that you want?"  
His voice was growing husky.  
"..no.." Mega Man flinched at the next kiss.  
"Take off your helmet," Gillian demanded quickly. His hot breath hit the back of the robot's neck in a way that made him hesitate.  
"Now."  
He did as he was told, trying to push it into his lap to block Gillian's fingers playing with the seam of his underwear. Mega Man stared blankly the couch where his clothes lay.  
He felt the other lean over his shoulder, lips seeking. Mega Man trembled as he glanced at him. Slowly, he turned his head, pausing a moment, and brushed their lips together. He looked guilty, like some disobedient pet.  
Gillian pulled away.  
"Good."  
The andriod found it hard to move. The slightest flinch provided unwanted friction. He bit his lip, refusing to look at him, trying to seem angry even though he was terrified.  
"Come with me," Gillian stood, easily picking up the robot and sliding him to the floor as if he didn't weigh 300 pounds. Mega Man didn't even notice the lights dim. He pushed himself up, only for his knees to give out under him. He hit the carpet, his weight making the floor creak.  
Gillian grinned like the devil himself, taking out his pad and pen once more to write something down.  
Mega Man froze. Was this what it was going to be like for him? Was he going to shake like a teenage girl every time someone touched him? He felt cheated. His legs were betraying him. He wanted to cry.  
The lights came up again.  
"Come on."  
He tugged at the collar, finally taking a ragged breath to calm himself, and climbed to his feet.  
"Yes sir."

""""""""""""""""""""

**My lovely reviewers will now get responses!**

**Yumi Sekaii, thank you for reviewing and shipping c: I'll try to keep your interest!**

**To Sango; I was away in the military for a couple months, but now I'm back and am trying to get back into the story.**

**Villager-lover; I'm glad you picked up on that! Ness and Duck Hunt will play a different kind of role. I might actually make them the comic relief xD. As for Pac-man, he has some things still yet to be revealed. I know I haven't put him in there as much but I'm going for a certain image of him right now.**

**Anyway, thank you all for reviewing and please keep reading! c:**


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